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Anti-social behaviour

Anti-social behaviour (ASB) is the common term used to describe incidents or actions that cause damage or affect the quality of life of people. It can be any behaviour that causes harassment, alarm or distress to one or more persons not living in the same household and can include things such as noise, neighbour nuisances, abandoned vehicles, litter and vehicle nuisance.

The Crime Survey for England and Wales (CSEW) for the year ending March 2026 estimated that 40.9% of people had experienced or witnessed anti-social behaviour (ASB). This was an increase from 35.5% in the previous year and brings levels back in line with those seen in the year ending March 2020.

It should be noted that changes to the CSEW questionnaire introduced in April 2025 may have contributed to the increase in reported ASB levels, and therefore some of the rise may reflect changes in survey methodology rather than a genuine increase in the prevalence of ASB.

Main points for Lancashire (2025 update)

In 2025, Lancashire's rate of anti-social behaviour (ASB) incidents was 58.5 per 1,000 population, slightly lower than the England rate of 65.4 per 1,000 population. This represents a decrease from 61.3 per 1,000 population in 2024, equivalent to a reduction of more than 2,700 police-recorded ASB incidents.

  • Violence and sexual offences remained the most common recorded crime category, increasing by 2.2% from 69.4 per 1,000 population in 2024 to 70.1 per 1,000 population in 2025.  

  • Following an increase of almost 8% from 2023 to 2024, shoplifting offences fell by 9.3% in 2025 (22.2 per 1,000 population) compared with the previous year of 23.7 per 1,000 population.

  • Criminal damage and arson offences also decreased, falling by 5.4% between 2024 and 2025.

  • Blackpool recorded the highest rate of ASB incidents in Lancashire, at 126.1 per 1,000 population in 2025. However, this was a 4.1% decrease from 131.7 per 1,000 population in 2024.

  • Burnley also saw a reduction, with its ASB rate falling by 2.7% between 2024 and 2025.

  • Ribble Valley continued to have the lowest ASB rate in Lancashire, at 32.5 per 1,000 population in 2025, a decrease of 1.1% compared with 2024.

Source: The Crime Survey for England and Wales data via LG Inform. (The full report ASB can be viewed on LG Inform). Please note CSEW figures are based on financial year, Lancashire figures are by calendar year.

Please also refer to the ASB section of the Community Safety dashboard

Page updated August 2026